An important point in the process of obtaining an American visa of any type is an interview at the security service of the US consulate. An appointment is made after the submission of documentation and payment of the state fee.

What is required to make an appointment, what papers you need to provide, in what cases it is allowed to issue a permit to enter the country without appearing at the consulate, how much to reap decisions, you will learn from this article.

How to enroll

Setting an appointment date for applying for an American visa is carried out in several steps. The bottom line is to fill out an application on the DS-160 form, after sending the questionnaire, a number will be issued that is used when scheduling an interview. The consular fee is paid in advance.

Registration is carried out in several steps:

1. You need to go to the official website of the US Department of State. When you first apply, you must go through the registration procedure.
2. An application form for an American visa is filled out in the form presented on the service with personal data: full name, passport number, type of permission requested according to the purpose of stay in the United States, marital status, data on employment in Russia, etc. In a special section, the number of the receipt for payment of the consular fee is indicated.
3. After that, a window appears with dates for recording for an interview, from the proposed ones, you can choose the most convenient and free one.

   

4. Enters an email address in the form that appears to send an appointment confirmation for an interview. It must be printed out for presentation at the US Consulate in the Russian Federation for an interview.

   

   Dear readers! The article talks about typical ways to solve legal issues, but each case is individual. If you want to know how solve exactly your problem- contact a consultant:

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   You can change the specified date no more than 3 times per application.

   What documents are needed

   To make an appointment for an interview, you must first submit to the US Embassy:

   • an identity card for foreign trips for travelers over the age of 14 and young children, if they have their own documents, if they have old passports with entry marks to the United States and other countries, it is important to present documents with certified copies to the law enforcement officer;
   • the application form, which you need to download on the official website of the US State Department, is filled out in English;
   • photo 3 by 4 on a light background, color;
   • a certificate from an educational institution that invited a foreign student or candidate under an exchange program to America upon receipt of a special visa;
   • a visa to the country of residence to which a foreign citizen is sent with a transfer to the United States when making transit, for which a visa is required even when transferring to another flight at the same airport;
   • it is advisable to have proof of financial solvency with you: statements from bank deposits with interest, accounts, cards, statements from Rosreestr on ownership of real estate, vehicles, a certificate from the place of work with monthly earnings for the last 3 months, marriage and birth certificates of children. Thus, it is important for the security service to establish that a citizen has close ties with his homeland, official business remains, his children and spouse are waiting for him, that there is a need for a return and he will not stay abroad.

   

   

   

   When passing an interview, all citizens from 14 to 80 years old must be fingerprinted. Persons under 14 and over 80 belong to the exclusive categories of applicants who are not required to appear at the security officer for an interview and provide fingerprints without fail.

   How to pass a US visa interview

   The results of the appearance at the security service for an interview are a decisive factor in determining the possibility of obtaining an entry document to America.

   In order for the interview to be successful, the following guidelines should be followed:

   • the form of clothing is preferably strict, classic cut, it is better to abandon the deep neckline, shorts, T-shirts and other elements of beach fashion, remember that you are going to the official representative office of the government;
   • the law enforcement officer asks questions at the interview, there is no need to initiate a conversation, you need to answer briefly, accurately, believably and to the point, remember that distortion of information, evasive phrases with a vague meaning can be interpreted not in favor of an applicant for a US visa, especially if it is issued for the first time;
   • it is important to read the reviews of visa applicants with a list of questions that an officer can ask at an interview, and be ready to give accurate answers to them;
   • you need to arrive clearly on time, you can 10–15 minutes before the appointed hour, since they start at the Consulate at the appointed time, the queue moves one person at a time according to the schedule, and not live;
   • heavy suitcases, bags and other equipment must be left in the storage room of a hotel or airport, train station, at the Consulate, only phones and tablets can be handed over to security for an interview;
   • hotel and ticket reservations should be provided to the officer only upon request, otherwise they are not required to justify the granting of a visa, this may not play the best role in issuing a permit;
   • do not bring too many documents on the presence of valuable property, translated into English and certified by a notary, it is mandatory to present an identity card and a certificate from the place of work with the amount of income;
   • the interview is held in Russian by default, however, if the purpose of the trip is business or under the Work and Travel program;
   • jokes are not the best option to defuse the situation in a conversation with a guard, liberties are not allowed if the officer himself does not initiate such a tone of speech, however, do not confuse him with a school friend and communicate in a free manner;
   • you don’t need to show disrespect for a foreign country, say phrases like “I feel good at home, why do I need the States”, this indicates not a connection with the homeland, but a lack of education.

   The consular staff is very friendly. If the applicant has difficulty determining the place where the interview takes place and the queue, then you can ask how the admission process for employees of the institution is carried out.

   They all speak Russian and are polite, freely helping with the resolution of any issue to the arrivals.

   The queue for the interview is formed first outside the consulate building. At the appointed time, a policeman comes out and invites you into the room. At the entrance, a standard metal detector check is carried out, as at an airport or other official government agencies.

   An electronic queue is kept inside, everyone is given a time ticket, and he comes to the window at the appointed time with documents.

   It is not necessary to submit them until the officer himself asks to see them, as he finds out the real intentions of the trip with the place of stop, the purpose of visiting attractions, visiting relatives living at a certain age, or marrying a US citizen.

   It is the psychological moment of communication with the visa candidate that is important for the officer, and not the verification of official papers - their reliability is controlled by other departments of the US Consulate in Russia.

   In the visa application form and in a conversation with an officer, it is better to mention citizens who have already traveled to America on a tourist or visitor visa, business, and with whom a trip is planned, even if they apply to consular offices to obtain permission to enter the country in third countries .

   When can I get a visa without an interview

   You may not be interviewed if:

   • when the visa applicant has not reached the age of 14 or is older than 80 years, in this case, explanations for them are given by adult capable accompanying persons;
   • when sending public service employees on a business trip with special permission;
   • in case of visa extension, however, all documents and the application form will have to be submitted again in the same volume.

   Waiting periods

   The decision on the interview and consideration of documents is made immediately. Regardless of whether it has become negative or entry is allowed, you should not linger in the room and should leave it immediately.

   Explanations for the reasons for refusal are not given, it is explained that a citizen can submit documents later.

   The decision to issue a passport with a visa is delivered by courier within 2-3 days after the interview. You can also pick up the document in person at the US Consulate.

   Authorized persons, intermediaries are not allowed to undergo interviews and receive documents. All these procedures are carried out by the applicant independently, the applicant is required to be present in person.

   The interview lasts according to the regulations at the US Consulate no more than 5 minutes. So if you change the itinerary of the trip or submit a new application due to the postponement of the trip, you should submit a new application on the DS-160 form.

upcoming recording dates

for an interview at the US Embassy

ATTENTION! THE CONSULAR FEE PAID IN RUSSIA CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER COUNTRY OR TO ANOTHER APPLICANT.

COST OF ISSUING A VISA TO THE USA THROUGH THE CIS COUNTRIES

COST OF EXTENDING AMERICAN VISA IN RUSSIA

Schedule an interview at the US Embassy

To date, the US Embassy in Russia does not provide information regarding the prospects for the restoration of full-fledged work. Interviews are held in extremely limited numbers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg. However, in most cases it is not possible to enroll after September 1, 2017.

If your last US visa expired no more than 11 months ago, you can apply for a new visa in Russia without an interview. Also, under the procedure for submitting documents without an interview, children under 14 years of age who travel to the States with one of the parents with an open visa to the United States fall.
The waiting period for receiving documents is 1-1.5 months, and the process of sizing a visa is 7-10 working days.

If you are planning a trip to the United States in the coming or fixed dates, you can make an appointment for an interview at the US Embassy in neighboring countries: Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia). The American embassies of these states have officially expressed their readiness to consider applications of citizens of the Russian Federation for an American visa in the standard mode on an equal basis with citizens of their countries. You do not need to have a residence permit or other document confirming the status of a permanent resident of a particular country.

Please note that entry and exit to most foreign countries is carried out on a foreign passport. This means that in a neighboring country you need to stay for 2-3 days until you get a passport with a US visa. The exceptions are Armenia and Kazakhstan - entry and exit to these countries takes place on an internal passport. Also, if you have a second valid foreign passport, then the interview procedure can be completed in one day. Please note that when interviewing outside the Russian Federation, all applicants must be present, including children. Our managers track the appointment for an interview at the US Embassy in 2019 around the clock. When dates appear for recording at the US Embassy, ​​check with the company's managers.

How to get a US visa for Russian citizens